Mexico: Violent battle playing out to save the last 22 vaquitas, the world's most endangered porpois

[TomSea]

Violent battle playing out to save the last 22 vaquitas, the world's most endangered porpoise

 Final effort to save the rarest marine mammal

Mexico City -- Experts said Wednesday that at most only 22 vaquitas remain in the Gulf of California, where a grim, increasingly violent battle is playing out between emboldened fishermen and the last line of defense for the smallest and most endangered porpoise in the world.

Jorge Urban, a biology professor at the Baja California Sur University, said the 22 vaquitas were heard over a network of acoustic monitors at the end of summer. That was in fact higher than many had expected; some had estimated as little as 15 would remain in the Gulf, also known as the Sea of Cortez, the only place in the world where the vaquita marina is found.

It may be a sign the vaquita is holding on, and what is keeping it alive is a thin line of defenders: Every night 22 volunteer crew members from ships operated by the environmentalist group Sea Shepherd go out to search the upper Gulf for hidden gill nets that catch prized - but protected - totoaba fish and drown vaquitas.

Read more at: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vaquitas-endangered-battle-sea-of-cortez-mexico-baja-california-sea-shepherd/

This is a real story and these animals are indeed endangered, a lot of news on them.

[Fishrrman]

Only 20 left?
Those numbers don't sound good...

[Smokin Joe]

Only 20 left?
Those numbers don't sound good...

Somewhere, someone, is figuring out how much they can get for the steaks....

[GtHawk]

Maybe they have just left for somewhere better


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I just wonder if years down the road they won't be 'rediscovered' and not actually endangered or extinct, except that some wacko will insist that though genetically identical, they aren't actually the same because they weren't inhabiting the Gulf of Mexico

[Smokin Joe]

Maybe they have just left for somewhere better


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I just wonder if years down the road they won't be 'rediscovered' and not actually endangered or extinct, except that some wacko will insist that though genetically identical, they aren't actually the same because they weren't inhabiting the Gulf of Mexico

I think you meant the Gulf of California, but if these were in the Gulf of Mexico, they'd likely be labelled a different subspecies anyway.

[GtHawk]

I think you meant the Gulf of California, but if these were in the Gulf of Mexico, they'd likely be labelled a different subspecies anyway.

yeah you are of course correct, I was in a hurry typing before I took my grandson to school

[Smokin Joe]

yeah you are of course correct, I was in a hurry typing before I took my grandson to school

Hope you took him to the right one...

We call that a 'brain fart' around here....

[GtHawk]

Hope you took him to the right one...

We call that a 'brain fart' around here....

No problem getting him where he goes, it's just up the street. The problem isn't an occasional 'brain fart' it's when you have long term flatulence you have to start worrying.

[goodwithagun]

I miss being able to have fun with this with @RoosGirl and @Frank Cannon . Without them, this forum kinda sucks.

[Smokin Joe]

I miss being able to have fun with this with @RoosGirl and @Frank Cannon . Without them, this forum kinda sucks.

You must have missed my remark about someone figuring out how much he could get for the steaks...

Tuna safe!

[mountaineer]

Sorry you feel that way, @goodwithagun
Miss you!